User:Ina.sit/sandbox

Due 3-28-18

Question

Add 9-10 sentences to the course-related article that you assigned yourself last week, and cite your statement(s) to a reliable source, as you learned in the online training. The sentences can be added in different parts of an article (meaning that they can but do not have to be in the same paragraph or even the same section of a particular article)

The entire article

Ascribed characteristics, as used in the social sciences, refers to properties of an individual attained at birth, by inheritance, or the aging process. The individual has very little, if any, control over these characteristics. Typical examples include race, ethnicity, gender, caste, height, and appearance. This term although related, is broader Ascribed Status, which is limited to statuses. The term is apt for describing characteristics chiefly caused by "nature" (e.g. genetics) and for those chiefly caused by "nurture" (e.g. parenting during early childhood).

Uses

Ascribed characteristics being ones that individuals have essentially no control over are the opposite of Achieved Characteristics. This set of terms lends itself to use within Demography to separate that which an individual has control over and can change, and that which is not. As the term describes differentiates it lends itself well to being used in the nature vs nurture arguments. Studies such as "Personal networks in Saudi Arabia: The role of ascribed and achieved characteristics"

The term is often used in discussions about how people with certain ascribed characteristics are systematically treated with prejudice. Thus, the study of racism can be seen, at least superficially, as the study of the ways that people with a certain skin color and cultural background are systematically treated differently by society at large.

Common arguments

Many arguments stem from disagreements over whether or not a given trait is actually an ascribed characteristic. For example, people who find homosexuality morally objectionable may attempt to justify this by insisting that homosexuals make a conscious decision about the nature of the sexual desire they experience however, it would difficult to condemn homosexuality if homosexuality was predetermined, either genetically or from early childhood. (See Sexual orientation.)

Ronald Dore's Arguments

Of course, the complications of the issue are myriad. For example, consider the discussion in chapter 10 of Ronald Dore's British Factory, Japanese Factory, where Dore investigates whether decisions on hiring and promotion, in the Japanese firm Hitachi, over a particular time were based chiefly on "achievement" or chiefly on "ascribed characteristics". The context of the discussion implied that achievement-based decisions are good, while those based on ascribed characteristics are bad. His discussion admits explicitly and, implicitly, that there are several complications to moral judgement that include:

• Some achievement characteristics are positively correlated with some ascribed characteristics such as intelligence and socioeconomic success. For example, "the power to command...may be much more likely to be bred in upper class families" to the extent that "the power to command" is viewed as a measure of merit. Promotion decisions favoring high merit would not be entirely distinguishable from making promotion decisions favoring high class thus, it can be difficult, to tell whether a particular promotion decision has been made for just or unjust reasons.
• It is possible to, "irrelevantly acquire discriminatory characteristics", or even do so intentionally. For example, by converting to a new religion or getting married.
• It is reasonable to view even some ascribed characteristics as factors that should affect employee compensation. In Hitachi, for example, pay is positively correlated both with performance and with age. The latter is an ascribed characteristic, but Dore suggests that it is a perfectly reasonable consideration, especially since expenses such as childcare, tend to increase over the duration of employment at Hitachi.

Dore also points out that what counts as an ascribed characteristic can vary depending on context. In evaluating the fairness of hiring standards, he viewed an applicant's success in the educational system as a good approximation of achievement. Thus, he noted that hiring decisions at Hitachi, during the time of his study, were "regulated by very strict qualification standards" and not very significantly influenced by ascribed characteristics. When he turned to evaluate opportunities for advancement within the firm, however, Dore noted that "educational qualifications...limit the range of posts which one can achieve". Meaning even if one's level of achievement increases, one may still be kept down by a relative lack of achievement in the educational system. Therefore, in investigating opportunities for promotions, educational achievement " the two become another form of ascribed characteristic." These additional forms of ascribed characteristics expand on the definition of an ascribed characteristic allowing for it to have more applications.

Due 3-14-18 Pi day!

Questions:

• Think back to when you did an article critique. What section or content is missing? What can you add? Post some of your ideas to the article's talk page.
• Compile a list of relevant, reliable books, journal articles, or other sources. Post that bibliography to the talk page of the article you'll be working on, and in your sandbox. Make sure to check in on the Talk page to see if anyone has advice on your bibliography.
• THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT.   YOU WILL BE CHOOSING THE ARTICLE YOU WILL BE WORKING ON FOR REMAINDER OF THE SEMESTER

My Answers, Paragraph form this time:

My chosen Article: Ascribed characteristics

This article makes the basic idea of Ascribed characteristics but falls short in bringing up multiple viewpoints. I think the "Common Arguments" section should be broken up to have a proponent and criticism sections, each with multiple sources. I believe that there should also be a history on its rise to use, first reference, when it came more common... I have a found a couple modern sources, but it will take some digging to find these older ones. I will also hope to bring a more formal tone to the article, focusing on the "Common argument" section.. After sources have been collected, other section headings may present themselves . I also Will add how it contrasts to similar ideas such as Achieved Status

List of Relevant Sources:

• Pretty Good Quality

Personal networks in Saudi Arabia: The role of ascribed and achieved characteristics

Downloaded from Sciences Direct, Utrecht University, Department of Sociology. It says achieved attributes are more important than Ascribed ones W.R.T personal Networks...

The authors focuses primarily on Parents living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They note limited freedoms of women in Saudi Arabia Women's rights in Saudi Arabia. The study stated clearly "Achieved Status is more important than ascribed characteristics." in regard to the personal networks.. Although it has limited scope, the term is central to the article's hypothesis.

https://www-sciencedirect-com.aurarialibrary.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S0378873315000854

• Ok quality / length:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/297243566/ascribed-characteristics-and-achievement

-Florida Gulf Coast university, written by professors of Psychology

Previous Days-

Questions to be answered

Not sure it makes sense to re-write the questions posed for the evaluation twice? - Prof Hammad

Ian's response: I copied them for reference... Sorry, I will just post answers....

My answers

Director of the United States Census Bureau

• Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?
  • Everything was relevent to the topic, but the organization of the "Chronology of the Directors" was atrocious
• Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
  • Very neutral, almost clinic, showing no changes made to the census or any actions of note made by any directors...
• Are there viewpoints that are over represented, or underrepresented?
  • There are no viewpoints at all I can see, I feel that one should be added as to the power the position holds, and there fore its importance.
• Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article?
  • The links are only to the Census bureau website under its "History and biographies of former directors"
• Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference? Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?
  • The sources are relevant, but only primary.
• Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?
  • Many things can be added, and its as up to date as the Census bureau's own website... It needs a bunch in my humble opinion...
• Check out the Talk page of the article. What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?
  • None are going on... Empty as can be
• How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?
  • No rating I can find, the Talk page has only a few one line changes in its 9 years of existance
• How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class?
  • Not to say that you have shared a political opinion of the article, but political Fact. This seat has many far reaching implications that are not mentioned. As far as this article says, it could be a once a year job and the director may as well also work at burger king part time because they are not giving him enough hours.
  • ADD MORE OF ANYTHING AS TO WHY THE DIRECTOR MATTERS, WHAT DO THEY DO?

Nice work answering all of the eval questions; however, next time, try to tie all of these into one paragraph - Prof Hammad

Ian's Response: I will make sure to write the answers in paragraph form from here on out...